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By Sean Moriarty

GAA clubs in Firies and London are fundraising to help former team mate and club member who had his leg amputated above the knee just two weeks ago.

Seamus O’Brien from Firies suffered a life-changing accident in February 2018, however due to multiple operations and complications with his condition, on Tuesday, November 5he had to undergo the life altering operation.

However, the self-employed builder is now unable to work with the situation putting his family, his wife Ruth and four children, under financial strain.

Seamus, who is waiting for a prosthetic leg to be fitted – with the costs of fitting three prosthetic legs within the next two years exceeding €200k - has a long recovery ahead of him.

Seamus played all his underage and senior football with Firies before emigrating to London where he played with the Kingdom Kerry Gaels between 1991 and 2000.

He and Ruth returned to Ireland in 2000, first to her hometown of Navan and then to Kerry in 2008 where they set up a construction business.

He passed on his love for the GAA to his children who are currently playing underage with Milltown/Listry and Seamus helped train the Keel/Listry U14s.

The two clubs have set a GoFundMe page to help the family offset some of the costs they will face over the coming years. Plans are in place to run a golf classic early next year.

“The fundraising committee in London contacted me and asked if we could help in anyway,” Firies Club Chairman James O’Sullivan said. “We will be calling on our club members and our diaspora to support this very worthy cause. As a club we are very aware of the nature of his injures and we will help in any way we can. To see a young man knocked down like that, and with a very young family, all of Firies GAA will help in any way we can.”